The passing of author and journalist Hugh Oram has been disclosed. Oram, an effective writer about Ireland and its history, also enjoyed an illustrious career as a newscaster and journalist. His death occurred at Wicklow Hospice on the third of March.
Oram was acclaimed for publishing numerous titles, some of which delved into specific regions of South Dublin and other areas of Ireland as well as several aspects of the Irish lifestyle including railways and newspapers. One of his books, the Little Book of Merrion and Booterstown from 2018, his 86th publication, analysed how both suburbs developed into hubs of academia, finance, and power.
Originally from Plymouth, Oram began contributing to The Irish Times during the early 1980s. He later reported for the Irishman’s Diary column during the 2000s and released a compilation of these works in 2020.
During his prolific career, he penned a diverse range of subjects from Dublin Lord Mayors’ coaches to the world of traditional grocery shops and Turkish baths in Blarney. He offered insights into the history of milling, whiskey distilling and drinking, and enunciated aspects of Dublin’s architecture and how it’s evolved.
In 2019, he lamented that Grafton Street, once filled with intriguing locally owned shops, had become a clone of a Main Street found in many countries, housing nearly 40 multinational retailers.
Oram was also responsible for creating the Paper Tigers series on RTÉ radio, providing a glimpse into Ireland’s newspapers and their staff. The series kick-started in September 1992.
He was married to Bernadette and is survived by his siblings Kate, Sarah, Emma, Rod and James, along with their families.
A private funeral service to remember him has already taken place.